1890 Buchanan & Delaware
Co., IA History pgs. 412-414
JOSEPH LONG, one of the
oldest and wealthiest farmers of
By occupation he was a
farmer and also a blacksmith, and withal a wealthy man, being able
to donate to each of his children eighty acres of land. He was a devout member
of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he was a
class-leader, and was most instrumental in causing a church edifice, belonging
to that denomination, to be built ten miles north of
Joseph Long was but four
weeks old when he was taken by his parents to
years of age, he married Miss Nancy Hunt, who was born in Wayne county, Ind.,
May 14, 1815, and who, to gladden his home, brought forth six children,
viz.-Elizabeth, who unfortunately died in 1839, when but four years of age;
William and George, now residents of Delaware county, Iowa; Leander Lafayette,
living in Harrison county Mo.; Isaac N., a dairyman of Marshall county, Iowa,
and Sarah, who died in August, 1879. Mrs. Long having been called to her last
rest, Mr. Long, on July 28, 1853, took for his second wife Miss Martha
Whitehead, who was born in Indiana September 13, 1827, and to this felicitous
union have been born five children, as follows - Belle, now Mrs. Petlon; Eugene, in Story county; Thyrsa
Maria, who died March 11, 1863; John Francis, deceased; and Anna Alice, at
home.
After his first marriage
Joseph Long took possession of the eighty-acre farm given to him by his father,
and on this he resided until his removal to La Porte county, Ind., where he
bought a farm on which he lived about eighteen years; thence he moved to Lee
county, bought another farm which he occupied one year only, and from there came
to his present home in Delhi township, Delaware county, Iowa, which home he had
prepared for the reception of his family before bringing the members thereof to
his newly found paradise. Comparatively wealthy before he came here, his
business habits were not abandoned, but he continued to add to his fortune by
his excellent management until at one time he was the possessor of over one thousand
eight hundred acres of choice land, but this immense acreage he has divided up
with a son, retaining for himself three hundred and twenty acres only, not that
he has any special need of even this number of acres, having now retired from
active business pursuits, but because his busy brain requires something with
which to employ itself.
In politics Mr. Long is a
republican. For many years he has been an active member and liberal
supporter of the Baptist church, and his walk through life has shown the
sincerity of his belief and won the esteem of all who know him.